Art of converting hydrocarbon oils



Dec. 4, 1928. 1,694,092

O. C. BREWSTER ART OF CONVERTING HYDROCARBON OILS Filed June 2o, 1925.Z6/- 'QL- 2,5 l FEL-0 Z- l Fifa )iff- /PHf/ffarf/f 24 1 :c/:J Q

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Patented Dec. 4, 1928.

UNITED 4STATES OSWALD C. BREWSlIER, OF CASPER, WYOMING, ASSIGNOR TOSTANDARD OIL COIVL' 1,694,092 PATENT OFFICE.

PANY, F WRITING, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF INDIANA.

ART 0F OONVERTING HYDROCARBON OILS.

Application filed June 20, 1925.

The present invention relates to improvements in the art of convertinghydrocarbon oils, and will be fully understood from the followingdescription, illustrated by the ac- 5 companying drawing, in whichapparatus for carrying the invention into effect is 'diagrammaticallyillustrated. The apparatus is described and claimed in a co-pendingapplilatter through the line 1() to a receiving drumA 11. From thereceiving ldrum condensate may be discharged through the line 12controlled by valve 13a and uncondensed gases are discharged through theline 13 controlled by valve 14. Air or other oxidizing gas containingoxygen is supplied to the still from the main air supply line 15 throughline 16 controlled by valve 17, and entering the lower portion of thestill 5. As will be hereinafter more fully pointed out, the heatrequired for conversion of the oil in the still is supplied by internalcombustion eitected by means ot the air or oxygen supplied in thismanner.

Suitable means exteriorly of the still 5 are provided for bringing thecontents of the still to a temperature at which active oxidation willtake place. As shown in the drawing, oil may be Withdrawnvfronrthe stillthrough the line 18 by the pump 19 and Jforced through the externallyfired heating coils 20. The heated oil is dischargedfrom the coil 20through lines 21 and 22, through which it returns to the still 5.l

In beginning operation, the still 5 is filled with oil, and acirculation is established by means ofthe pump 19, through theexternally fired coil or preheater 20 and back to the still until theoil has been brought to a suitable temperature, say 600 to 650 F. orhigher, at which oxidation will begin on the supply of air to the still.When the oil in the still has reached a suitable temperature, air issupplied through the line 16 and controlled Serial No. 38,513.

by the valve 17 to maintain the desired temperature in the still.

Means are provided for supplying oil to the still 5 after the operationof conversion by internal combustion has begun. In the lorm of theinvention illustrated, a feed prehcater 23 is provided, suitably in theform ot' a column or tower-containing bubble plates 24: Fresh oil is fedto the upper portion of this preheatcr column through the line 25, thepreheater column having first been brought to a temperature at whichactive oxidationvwill spontaneously take place by the supply of heatedoil thereto from the heating coil 20 through the lines 21 and 26, thelatter being controlled by the valves 27 and 2S. Air from the mainsupply line 15 is supplied to the lower portion oit' the oXi dizingpreheater 23 through the line. 29 controlled by4 valve 30, and enteringthe preheating column 28 near its base. rlhe supply otair is controlledso that the oil entering through the line 25`is'brought to a conversiontemperatureL of, say, 650 to 720o or higher while passing through thepreheating column. The period during which the oil remains in thepreheating column is so short that substantially no deposition of carboncan take place therein. The oil'preheated in the column 23 is suppliedto the stripping column 7 through the linel 3l, and passes through thestripping column countercurrent to the vapors issuing from the stillthrough line G. The vapors are thereby stripped o't' theirl heavy ends,and the fresh oil, together with'reflux, passes from the strippingcolumn 7 through the line 32 into the still 5.

The gas and vapors issuing from the preheating column 23 pass outthrough vapor line 33 into a condenser and cooler 34, from which thecondensate and cooled gases pass toa drum 35. From this drum, condensateis discharged througha trap line 36 to the line 25, through Which it iscaused to re-enter the preheatingl column 23 with the feed stock.Uncondensed gas and vapors pass out ot the drum 35 through line 37,which connects with the gas line 1.3 leading from the distillatecollecting drum 11.

To illustrate the operation of the device, the still 5 is charged withthe oil to b c converted, say a crude residue of about 19 to 20 Baumegravity, and is brought to a temperature of 650 or higher, say about74()o F.,

16. The supply of air is controlled to maintain the desired temperature,say 720 to 7 60 y F. Within the still 5.

Vhen the oil being circulated through the heated coil 20'has reached atemperature of 650 or higher, a part ot' this oil is diverted throughthe line 26 into the column 23, into which air is supplied through theline 29, and controlled by the valve 30. The fresh oil to be supplied tothe system enters the preheating column 23 through the line 25, Iand thesupply of air to the prehcating column is controlled so that the oilreaches, in the base of the column, a predetermined temperature of 640F. or higher, and preferably about 700 to 740 F. It is understood, ofcourse, that the supply of oil through the line 26 from the fired coil21 to the preheating column 23 is stopped when o eration of the columnin its proper manner egins.

At this stage of operation, the contents of the still 5 receive their'ent-ire heat from the combustion of oil by controlled quantities otairadmitted through the line 16. At the same time, the fresh stock to beSupplied to the still 5 during operation is preheated, also bycontrolled oxidation, Within the preheating column 23, from which it isdischarged as soon as it' attains the desired temperature, the heatedoil remaining in the preheating column 23'for an insutlicient period oftime to cause coke deposition therein to any substantial extent. Thepreheated oil from the column 23 passes through the line 31 into theupper portion of the stripping column 7 through which it descendscountercurrent through the vapors and gases rising from the still 5through the line 6. In descending the column, the feed stock causes comecondensation of heavy ends ot' the vapors issuin from the still, and thecondensate formed therein, together with the fresh oil pass throu h theline 32 into the still 5. The operation o feeding and conversion bycontrolled oxidation Within the still 5 are continued until the still issubstantially filled with coke.

The vapors issuing from the column 7, which have been deprived of theirheavier ends, pass out through the line 8 and are condensed in thecondenser 9. The conden sate and uncondensed gases and vapors pa'ss intothe receiving drum-7, from which the gases are discharged through theline 13.

In the' preheating column 23, the air or other oxidizing gasintroduced'to effect preheating may cause a moderate amount ofdistillation. Substantially all the vapors formed in the lower part ofthe column are condensed by the cold feed stock supplied through theline 25. Any uncondensed portion passing out of the column 23 throughthe line 37 is condensed in the condenser 34 and discharged into thedrum 35, in which uncondensed gases are separated and pass out throughthe line 37 to the gas line 13. The condensate collected inthe drum 35is discharged through the line 36 and enters the feed stock line 25,again entering the preheating column 23.

The entire system is maintained under a pressure of 4 to 5 atmospheresor higher. Suitablepressures may be, for example, from 100 to 300 poundsgauge. As already pointed out, the temperatur es employed are in excessof about 650 F., and preferably about 720 to 7 60 F. Higher temperaturesmay be employed, it' desired, for example, temperatures ranging to 850 For higher. It ispreferred, however, not to employ such higher ranges oftemperatures, as the amounts of air or other oxidizing gas required tomaintain them tend to cause excessive distillation of undesired heavyend products'.

I claim:

1. The method of converting hydrocarbon oils which comprises maintaininga body ot oil under pressure and at conversion temperature by internaloxidation' Withiny the body of oil, removing vapors therefrom, heating aflowing stream of oil to conversion-temperatures by supplying an oxygencontaining gas in contact with said stream of oil, and passing saidheatedst-ream of oil before substantial conversion thereof into the bodyof oil.

2. The method ofconverting hydrocarbon oils which comprises maintaininga body of oil, circulating oil from said body in a confined streamthrough a heating zone and back to said oil body until the oil bodyisibrought to a temperature of active oxidation in the presence of anoxygen-containing gas, discontinuing said circulation of the oil,supplying into the body of oil controlled quantities ofoxygen-containing gas while maintaining upon the body of oil a pressureof at least four atmospheres, removing vapors evolved from the body ofoil, and supplying to it additional oil preheated to approximately thetemperature of the body of oil. 3. The method of converting hydrocarbonoils which comprises maintaining a body ot'` oil under pressure atconversion temperature by supplying into said body of oil controlledquantities of oxygen containing gas, removing vapors evolved from'thebody of oil, preheating fresh oil to conversion temperatures,

contacting the preheated fresh oil with the-y vapors evolved from saidbody of oil, and subsequently feeding it into said body of oil.

' 4. The method of converting hydrocarbon oils which comprisesmaintaining a body ot oil under pressure and at conversion temperatureby supplying controlled quantities of oxygen-containing gas into thebody ofoil, bringing fresh oil to approximately the temperature of saidbody of oil by contacting it with an oxygen-containing gas in a body ofthereof has taken place into said body of oil.

fresh oil to approximately the temperature of said body by reactingthereupon with an oxidizing gas, bringing said fresh oil, beforesubstantial conversion thereof has taken place, into intimate contactwith the vapors.

issuing from said body of oil, andl subsequently deliveringthe fresh oilinto the latter.

7 The method of converting hydrocarbon oilsv into lower boilinghydrocarbon oils which comprises maintaining a body of oil underpressure an-d at conversion temperature by supplying controlledquantities of oxygen containing gas into the body of oil, bringing freshoil to approximately the temperature of said body of oil by contactingit i body to a temperature at which active oxidation will take place inthepresence of anA oxygen-containing gas, delivering fresh oil to saidseparate body of oll and simultaneously supplying an oxygen-containinggas thereto in proportions to bring the fresh oil to conversiontemperature within said separate body of oil, removing the heated oilfrom said separate body of oil before substantial conversion thereof hastaken place, and supplying it into the first 4mentioned body of oil.

9. The method of converting hydrocarbon oils into lower boilinghydrocarbon oils which comprises maintaining a body of oil underpressure and at conversion temperature, bringing a quantity of oil in aseparate body to a temperature at which active oxidation will take placein t-he presence of an oxygencontaining gas, delivering freshoil to saidseparate body of oil and simultaneously supplying an oxygen-containinggas thereto in proportions to bring the fresh oil to conversiontemperature within said separate body of oil, removing the heated oilfrom said separate body of oil before substantial conversion thereof hastaken place, contacting the removed oil with vapors arising from thefirst mentioned body of oil, and subsequently body of o1l.

a quantity of oil in a separate body to a tem-v perature at which activeoxidation takes place inthe presence of an oxygen containing gas,delivering fresh oil to said separate body of oil and simultaneouslysupplylng an ox gencontaining gas thereto in proportions to ring thefresh oil to conversion temperature within said separate body of oil,removing the heated fresh oil from said separate body of oil beforesubstantial converslon thereof has taken place, and supplying it to thefirst mentione-d body of oil.

11. The method of converting hydrocarbon oils into lower boilinghydrocarbon oils which comprises maintaining a body of oil underpressure and at co-nversion temperature by supplying controlledquantities of oxygen-containing gas into the body of oil, bringing aquantity of oil in a separate body to a temperature at which activeoxidation will take place in the presence of an oxygencontaining gas,delivering fresh oil to said separate body of oil and simultaneouslysupplying an oxygen-containing gas thereto in proportions to bring thefresh oil to conversion temperature within said separate body of oil,removing the heated fresh oil from said separate body of oil beforesubstantial con# version thereof has taken place, contacting saidv freshoil with vapors arising from the first mentioned body of oil, andsupplying the fresh oil subsequently to the first mentioned body ofoil.` f f,

osvvALn c. BREWSTER.

